Mr Aronow’s Christmas History and Economics Quiz Names: _____________________

_____________________

Circle the answer you think is correct.

1) When was Christmas first celebrated?
A. The year after Jesus' birth
B. Not for a couple of years after Jesus was crucified
C. In the 4th century
D. After the American Revolution

2) Where did the Christmas tree tradition originate?

A. Germany
B. England
C. Israel
D. Holland

3) Why was December 25th chosen as Christmas Day?

A. That's when Jesus was born.
B. That's when it was celebrated in the bible.
C. It was chosen at random.
D. It was chosen to coincide with an established pagan holiday.

4) How did the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe develop?

A. Mistletoe is associated with a Scandinavian love goddess.
B. Mistletoe makes your mouth pucker.
C. Mistletoe was used in druid wedding rituals.
D. It was an old Jewish practice.

5) What significance is holly in celebrating Christmas?

A. The pointed leaves represent the Christmas star.
B. The early church band mistletoe, so holly was substituted.
C. Holly was used as the first Christmas tree.
D. The red berries signify the Crucifixion.

6) What country did poinsettias originally come from?

A. Germany
B. Holland
C. Mexico
D. Brazil

7) Who probably was the first man to illuminate a Christmas tree with candles?
A. Pope Pius
B. King Henry VIII
C. Jesus
D. Martin Luther

8) Celebrating Christmas was once against the law in...?

A. Canada
B. Holland
C. Germany
D. Massachusetts

9) According to the PNC Bank 12-Days of Christmas price index, which of the twelve gifts has seen the greatest price
increase (in percentage terms) since 1984?
A. Three French hens
B. Five golden rings
C. Eight maids a milking
D. Twelve drummers drumming

10) According to the PNC Bank 12-Days of Christmas price index, which is the only one of the twelve gifts that has seen
its price decrease compared to 1984?
A. A partridge in a pear tree
B. Four calling birds
C. Seven swans a swimming
 D. Ten lords a leaping

11) What is the best selling Christmas song of all time?

A. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"
B. "Jingle Bells"
C. "Silent Night"
D. "White Christmas"

12) What department store created Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?

A. Macy's
B. Woolworth Five and Dime
C. Montgomery Ward
D. Boston Store

13) Which of these statements about Saturnalia, the pagan festival which Christmas replaced, is false?
A. Temple-going during the festival was required
B. Starting battles was forbidden (though continuing them was fine)
C. Celebrants wore a flimsy outfit called the synthesis
D. Slaves were allowed to misbehave, within reason

14) Who was St Nicholas?

A. A bishop who ruled over part of present-day Turkey
B. The founder of the Coptic Orthodox church
C. A missionary who converted the Ostrogoths to Christianity
D. A Hungarian clergy who died defending a sacred holly bush

15) As well as being associated with Christmas, St Nicholas is the patron saint of:
A. Thieves
B. Ear aches
C. Prussia
D. Bee keepers

16) The second-biggest-selling category of Christmas cards in Britain, after traditional snow scenes, typically shows:
A. Christmas trees with baubles
B. Young animals doing human activities
C. Nativity scenes
D. Church bells ringing

17) In which European country are an estimated 1.5m pigs slaughtered around the feast of St Ignatius, on December
20th?
A. Albania
B. Bulgaria
C. Macedonia
D. Romania

18) In an act worthy of Ebenezer Scrooge, officials in Plano, Texas recently:

A. Threatened legal action against shops displaying posters with the word "Christmas"
B. Banned Christmassy colours from a school's winter party, including cupcakes with red and green icing
(though white was allowed)
C. Forbade instrumental versions of Christmas carols
D. Fined homeowners displaying "excessive Christmas decorations"

19) A Beijing government survey in 2001 found that __ of the capital's residents planned to celebrate Christmas
A. 9%
B. 30%
C. 62%
D. 70%

20) In 1993 an economist at Yale University found that on average a gift is valued in dollar terms by the recipient:
A. Well below the price paid by the giver
B. Just above the price paid by the giver
C. Well above the price paid by the giver
D. Just below the price paid by the giver